The discarding of all kinds of waste and the associated effects on the environment is of increasing concern. As one part of the solution to the waste problem, a multiplicity of methods and apparatus for recycling various types of waste have been proposed. The recycling of soft drink bottles and cans may be divided into two distinct approaches. First, the material forming the can or bottle, i.e., the aluminum or plastic material, may be reformulated, such as by melting, and used to form other useful devices. Second, the used cans or bottles may be used to form other useful structures. The present invention is directed to the latter type of method and apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,175 to Kirkpatrick, et al. discloses an apparatus using a plurality of plastic soft drink bottles to form an alternative useful structure from the soft drink bottles. A cushion is provided which is adapted to receive a plurality of soft drink bottles in a serial manner to form alternative useful structures such as a raft, surfing device, storage and moving mat, or the like. The soft drink bottles are not actually interconnected within the mattress but are instead used to provide rigidity and/or flotation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,896 to Snider discloses a device for creating useful, entertaining and imaginative structures from beverage containers such as aluminum cans. An annular ring having a plurality of interfitting projections is provided and allows the pop cans to be connected in a serial, parallel or criss-cross manner. Such an apparatus does not include an annular web having a recess formed therein or a projection interfitting with a recess in the web allowing interconnection of the cans. Moreover, such a device does not allow the end of a can to be connected orthogonally to the exterior surface of the device.
What is needed in the art is a system which allows cans or bottles to be connected at a multiplicity of desired positional relationships therebetween, such as serial, parallel, criss-cross or orthogonal interconnection, and thereby forms a decorative or imaginary structure providing an alternative use for the cans or bottles.